1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to dental containers and, more particularly, relates to small dental containers having multiple compartments for separately storing, transporting and subsequently amalgamating at least two dental preparation ingredients for making a prepared ready-to-use amalgam. Still further, this invention relates to a method of dispensing the amalgam directly into a tooth cavity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dental containers which separately store dental preparation ingredients until the latter are subsequently brought together and mixed to make dental preparations are well known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,357,545; 3,595,439; 3,684,136; 3,731,853; 3,739,947; 3,809,225; and 3,831,742.
Numerous problems have been encountered in using the conventional containers of the prior art. One problem is to reliably seal the mercury in the container so that the mercury vapor will not be exposed to the open air and contaminate the environment. The problem of mercury contamination extends not only to the dental operator, but also to the patient. However, the prior art seals have not proven to be altogether satisfactory in preventing such contamination.
Furthermore, some prior art containers use a plunger to rupture a membrane located between the two dental preparation ingredients prior to mixing. In some instances, severed pieces of the membrane fall into and become mixed with the ingredients. This is highly undesirable, because it is very difficult to remove the severed membrane pieces from the amalgam.
Still another problem associated with the prior art is that the dental operator is not advised as to the current status of the container, i.e. whether the ingredients are currently being stored separately, or are in the process of being transferred into each other's presence, or are being mixed. This information would be of great value to the dental operator.
Yet another problem associated with the prior art containers is that the rapidly-setting amalgam mixture frequently clogs the discharge port of the container, and therefore requires the user to exert a considerable amount of muscular effort to move the plunger to discharge the amalgam. The amount of effort required frequently leads to destruction of the container itself and the scraping out of its contents, which again leads to the aforementioned problem of mercury contamination of the dental environment.